Apple recently hosted its latest launch event and, as expected, there was plenty of talk about speed. Faster processors, better efficiency, longer battery life, and some pretty impressive claims about charging.
While there are already plenty of places to read about what tech is incorporated into your newest devices, we're more interested in what it all means for your next specification. Every time a major device manufacturer introduces faster charging, it changes what people expect when plugging in at their workstation, hotel nightstand, conference table or airport lounge.
The new iPhone 18 Pro claims to reach a 50% charge in around 15 minutes, with the iPhone 18 Pro Max giving you nearly 7 hours of video playback after just 5 minutes.1 Google makes similarly ambitious claims with its latest Pixel devices, with the Google Pixel 11 Pro XL reaching a 75% charge in around 30 minutes.2 Across the industry, all the biggest names in technology are steadily making faster charging part of the everyday experience.
But there's an important catch that's often overlooked: charging speed depends a lot on the outlet.
Specifying USB-C has become the standard.
For a while, specifying USB-C felt like a luxury. Then USB-C became an industry standard, and including it became a fairly easy way to signal that a space was future-proofed.
As technologies continue to advance, the future of USB-C has gotten a little more complicated. Wattage, PD smart charging, shared power and port configurations have become an important part of the specifying discussion. Although different USB-C ports may look exactly the same, they can provide dramatically different charging experiences for end users.
A 20W USB-C port could charge up a phone over time, but would really struggle to keep up with something like a laptop. Whereas a 140W USB-C port could quickly recharge a variety of powerful devices, even items as big as laptops.
To the person using the space, they're all just USB-C ports. That's why the right specification makes a big difference, and Byrne is ready to help direct you through the process. Check out all of Byrne's technology options here!
Devices are changing and so are the expectations.
Think about what manufacturers are teaching consumers every time they launch a new device: the iPhone 18 Pro reaching 50% charge in roughly 15 minutes1, the Pixel 11 Pro XL reaching 75% in around 30 minutes2, and a Lenovo ThinkPad reaching 80% charge in 1 hour.3
Those numbers establish an expectation for consumers. Someone who's used to their phone gaining hours of battery life from a short charge at home doesn't know, or particularly care, why the USB-C port in the office takes dramatically longer. They simply plug in and expect it to work as it claims to, and get frustrated when it doesn't.
So, what exactly are you specifying?
This is where watts come in. At its core, wattage is simply a useful way to describe how much charging power is available.
A 20W USB port has less power available than a 45W port, while a 140W port has considerably more. As devices and their batteries become larger and more demanding, available wattage becomes increasingly important. For example, Apple's latest iPhone 18 Pro charging claims were tested with a 60W power outlet.1
But more wattage isn't automatically better for every application.
A hotel nightstand, where a phone may be expected to charge for 8 hours, has a different job than an airport lounge where someone has 20 minutes to top off before boarding. A conference table might need to accommodate phones, tablets and laptops simultaneously. A waiting room may primarily see phones. A workstation may need enough power to keep a laptop running over the course of a whole day.
So instead of thinking "how many USB-C ports should we add?" start with "what are people going to plug into them, and how long will they be here?". That one question can tell you a lot about how much power you should be specifying.
Some USBs are sharing the power.
Imagine you're comparing two power units. Both have two USB-C ports and both look perfectly capable on paper, but one important detail can completely change the experience: Smart Charging.
USB Power Delivery (PD) is the latest version of Smart Charging, allowing the USB and connected device to communicate for optimal performance. PD helps improve battery longevity, and optimize ports that may be supporting multiple devices simultaneously. That way, plugging a small device into a high-wattage outlet doesn't overpower your device and plugging in two devices at once may help prioritize the device that needs it more or can accept more.
This means that a dual-port USB charger advertised at 140W (such as Byrne's 140W USB-4C) doesn't necessarily provide 140W from each port simultaneously. Depending on its architecture, that 140W may be a shared pool. With one device connected, that device may have access to most or all of the available power. Connect a second device and the charger can redistribute its available wattage between them.
And it isn't necessarily an even split, or mathematically straightforward.
Behind the scenes, there's a surprisingly sophisticated conversation happening between a Smart PD outlet and the devices plugged into it. This conversation can take things into account like current battery percentage, the number of connected devices, the technical specs of each device, and even the cable that's being used (Yes, that's right, charging cables have wattage limitations too and that cheap cord you bought might actually be holding you back). It's an equation that PD calculates, and continues calculating, for the safest and most optimized charging in that specific moment. For the person sitting at the table? They just know whether their battery percentage is increasing quickly enough... or isn't.
The outlet has a longer life than the device.
The latest tech products will get plenty of attention at their launch. Then next year, another device will be faster, batteries will get bigger, charging will get smarter, power demands will continue to change. For designers, specifiers and manufacturers, keeping up doesn't mean chasing every new device announcement. It means anticipating the expectations those future devices create.
At Byrne, that's how we think about USB charging. Not simply as a port added to a product, but as a part of the experience you're designing for the people who will eventually use it. You will never know which phone, tablet or laptop gets plugged into the power you specify today. But Byrne has the options and tools to better future-proof the purchases you make.
It all starts at the outlet.
USB FAQ
20W (great for smaller everyday devices like headphones)
45W (charging for phones and tablets or multiple devices)
60W (fast charging for phones and tablets)
100W (good for laptops and computers or multiple devices)
140W (fast charging for laptops or multiple devices)
But adding more wattage isn't always the right answer. Port count, and wattage distribution are worth considering when purchasing a multi-port solution. If you need to power up multiple computers at a conference table, you may need multiple high-wattage ports. If you're looking to charge up devices overnight at a hotel nightstand, you may not need extra watts for faster charging.
Keeping regular AC outlets is a practical choice in spaces with varied equipment. Some devices require a different charger, do not accept USB-C charging, or need capabilities beyond the selected USB module. Built-in USB can reduce the need for separate charging adapters, while AC outlets preserve flexibility.
USB Power Delivery, or PD, is a defined charging standard that allows compatible devices and chargers to agree on an appropriate power level. PD is meant to optomize charging and lengthen battery life.
No! While the standard appearance may never change, the technologies and wattage behind them can differ a lot. One USB-C might have no trouble recharging a phone, but would struggle to deliver enough power for a laptop. If you've ever noticed your devices charging a lot slower than you're used to, you probably plugged into a USB port with less wattage than you're used to.
Yes, as long as the device, USB-C port and charging cable support the power needs of the laptop. Byrne's 100W USB-C PD and 140W USB-4C PD are great options for powering laptops.
Yes! Just like USB ports, the cords allow varying amounts of power to flow through them. Using a high-wattage USB port doesn't really help much if your cord can't hold enough power. It's always best to purchase a compatible cord for your device requirements, or use a cord that came with it.
Byrne offers:
20W USB-A+C PD/QC,
20W USB-4C PD
20W USB-2C+A
45W USB-2C PD
100W USB-C PD
140W USB-4C PD (coming late 2026).
